County
Judo Solves EMS Dilemma!!
May 24, 2005 
The EMS tax levy defeat may prove to have been a blessing for all concerned.
Ada County voters said “no” to an emergency medical service mired in bickering, turf battles, inaccurate financial information and emotion.” The vote was 54% no to 46% yes
The Emergency Medical System in Ada County has a long history of tension between firefighters and paramedics–they even came to blows years ago at the Fair. Meridian City Council openly opposed the tax hike and Boise firefighters were also against it. Both fire departments are staffing some of their trucks with paramedics.
The solution is a no brainer.
Ada County Commissioners would be wise to encourage the cities to run their own ambulance show (like they do for cops). County taxes are paid by city and county folks alike, but if the cities pick up the slack it should cut down on the need for county EMS within the two highest population centers in the county. Same budget, fewer calls equals problem solved!
If Meridian and Boise want to run their own ambulances, let them do it. Citizens of those communities will still have to pay for county EMS, but not get service–just like they pay for sheriff’s department and get no service because local cops respond within the cities.
To keep taxpayers off the financial hook, the cities could have the paramedic first responders on the fire trucks for free and contract with private ambulance firms to transport the patients–the best of both worlds: immediate paramedic care and private transports which charge the patient for the taxi ride.
This is simple judo– use your opponent’s energy to your advantage.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jun 1, 2005, 10:01 am
Here is a brainstorm. Why don’t St. Luke’s and St. Al’s subsidize the EMS services? After all it is their customers that are being transported to them. They are benefiting from this service. Think of it as a hotel that offers shuttle service from the hotel to the airport. They offer that service to attract business.
With that said, it is hard to believe that the EMS services can’t make ends meet. My fiance’s son had to take an ambulance from ST Luke’s to St. Al’s for an emergency operation. The trip took 10 minutes and his bill for the trip was $540.00! That’s $3240.00 an hour. If you can’t make ends meet with that kind of money you don’t deserve to be in business.
Thanks for letting me put in my 10 cents. Great website.
May 6, 2007, 10:34 am
In response to the outrageous cost of transport by Ada County Paramedics. I had an unfortunate incident at my job in Meridian. By all accounts it was a minor situation and did not require ALS transport, however I was placed on ALS monitoring equipment. I come from a long service in the fire/ems field and I know for a fact half of the equipment used was not necessary, talk about wasting taxpayer money.
Then I get the bill from these “yeahoos”, They charged me over $1000 to be transported 3 miles… WHAT THE…??? And now Ada County wants to be the one and only EMS agency, talk about greedy.